Yorkshire Terrier

At a glance

Weight

4–7 lb

Height

7–8 in

Lifespan

11–15 years

Exercise / day

30–45 min

Energy

moderate

Shedding

low

Temperament

bold, vocal, affectionate, terrier-tenacious

With kids

with supervision

Common health predispositions

• Periodontal disease. Toy breeds have crowded teeth and are the highest-risk group for periodontal disease. Daily brushing and professional cleanings under anesthesia are baseline, not optional. Untreated periodontal disease is a leading cause of tooth loss and a documented driver of systemic inflammation in small dogs.
• Patellar luxation. Common in toy breeds and often bilateral. Have both parents' patellas OFA-graded before purchase. Grade I-II is often managed with lean body condition and physical therapy; grade III-IV usually needs surgical correction.
• Tracheal collapse. Coughing, honking, or exercise intolerance in an adult Yorkie is tracheal collapse until proven otherwise. Walk on a harness, not a collar, keep body weight lean, and avoid smoke exposure.
• Hypoglycemia (puppies). Toy puppies under 4 months can drop dangerously low blood sugar between meals. Feed 3-4 times daily and keep Karo syrup on hand for emergencies; lethargy, wobbliness, or seizures need corn syrup on the gums and an immediate vet call.
• Portosystemic shunt. Over-represented in the breed. Bile acid testing before spay/neuter is standard, symptomatic dogs show stunted growth, post-meal disorientation, or copper-colored urine.
• Legg-Calve-Perthes disease. Idiopathic necrosis of the femoral head, most often diagnosed between 4 and 12 months as a progressive hindlimb lameness. Radiographs confirm; surgical FHO is usually curative.

Gear and diet implications

• Best harness for a Yorkshire Terrier. Never a neck collar for lead attachment; a soft Y-front harness protects the trachea. A step-in style is often easier on a small dog with long chest hair.
• Best dental for a Yorkshire Terrier. Toothbrush and enzymatic paste from puppyhood; VOHC-accepted dental chews are additive, not a substitute. Budget for a professional cleaning under anesthesia every 12-18 months from age 3.
• Best grooming for a Yorkshire Terrier. Pin brush and metal comb for daily line-brushing; a slicker can mat the fine single coat if used aggressively. Most pet-home Yorkies live in a short 'puppy cut' refreshed every 6-8 weeks.
• Best bed for a Yorkshire Terrier. Low-profile bed near the family; the breed prefers proximity to isolation. A ramp or steps to the sofa reduces jump-down landings that stress toy-breed knees and discs.

What the breed was built for

The Yorkshire Terrier was developed in Victorian-era Yorkshire by weavers and mill workers who wanted a small, fast ratter for cotton mills and mines. Waterside terriers, the Paisley, Clydesdale, and old English Black-and-Tan Terrier all fed into the modern breed. The job was rats in tight spaces, which selected for bold temperament, prey-drive, and a size that fit through mill machinery.

The Victorian upper class adopted the breed as a fashion accessory in the 1870s, and selective breeding shrank the working ratter into the 4-7 lb 'silk-coated lap dog' modern buyers know. The working-terrier heritage is why a 6 lb dog will still bark at a Great Dane, guard a doorway, and chase a squirrel through a hedge, that behavior is not a quirk, it is what the breed was made for.

Coat and grooming reality

The show coat is floor-length, silky, single (hair, not fur), and requires daily wrapping to preserve. Almost no pet home carries a full show coat, the standard pet-home compromise is a 'puppy cut' or 'teddy trim' every 6-8 weeks, which keeps the low-shed benefit without the daily maintenance. A Yorkie clipped every six weeks costs $50-80 per visit in most US markets, budget it in.

Because the coat is hair rather than fur, Yorkies shed almost nothing but they are not hypoallergenic in the medical sense, allergen (Can f 1) still comes off in dander and saliva. Weekly bathing with a gentle conditioning shampoo, tear-stain wiping around the eyes, and monthly ear checks (long ear hair traps moisture and yeast) round out the grooming plan.

Training and behavior

Yorkies are bright and trainable but easily under-socialized because owners carry them past every novel dog and person. Do the socialization work on the ground during the socialization window (roughly 3-14 weeks), or you get a barky, reactive adult. Small-dog syndrome is a handler problem, not a breed trait.

House-training is often the slowest part of raising a Yorkie, expect 6-9 months of consistent crate schedule, small frequent outdoor trips, and generous reinforcement of outdoor elimination. Puppy pads confuse the long-term picture, pick one substrate and stick with it. Reward-based training with pea-sized soft treats works well; harsh corrections shut a Yorkie down and often trigger avoidance-based nipping.

What to look for in a breeder or rescue

• OFA patella evaluation on both parents.
• OFA cardiac exam by a board-certified cardiologist.
• CAER ophthalmologist exam.
• Bile acid testing to screen for portosystemic shunt in puppies.
• Meet the mother in a home setting; the breed's temperament is heavily heritable and litter environment matters.
• Avoid 'teacup' marketing, extreme miniaturization multiplies hypoglycemia, dental, and orthopedic risk without any health upside.
• Rescue alternative: Yorkie-specific rescues place adult surrenders regularly, and an adult dog telegraphs its adult temperament in a way a 10-week-old puppy cannot.